9 years after ban, open acid sale thrives in B’luru

Rachana Ramesh & Ahna Prakash
Bengaluru

Unauthorised acid sale thrives in Bengaluru and its easy availability is one of the reasons for the unabated acid attacks in the city, reveals a News Trail investigation. The investigation was conducted in the wake of two acid attacks in the city in a gap of one-and-a-half months.

The latest incident happened on Friday (June 10) when 34-year-old Mohammed Ullah Khan threw acid on a 31-year-old woman near Sarakki Signal. The woman suffered 15 percent burns. On April 28, a 24-year-old woman suffered serious burns when Nagesh Babu, 34, threw acid on her in Sunkadakatte. In the wake of increasing acid attacks, the Supreme Court had banned acid sale from open counters in 2013.

According to the apex court guidelines, the seller and purchaser must possess a licence and shops selling acid must maintain a register of sale and purchase. The court order also made it mandatory for the shopkeepers to record the reasons for purchase. But the vendors apparently are least bothered about the Supreme Court directives.

News Trail has found that shopkeepers sell acid to all customers without verifying their credentials. On Saturday, News Trail bought acid in multiple containers, shelling out just Rs 30 per litre. For strong acid, we paid Rs 50 per litre. Acid is being sold as floor cleaners. But the bottles will not contain details of its strength or the precautions to be taken while handling it.

It was shocking to note that the vendors did not even know about the Supreme Court stipulations. When asked about whether he has a government permit to sell acid, a vendor in Ejipura replied: “It’s just acid. You can use it to clean the bathroom. Why do I need a government permit for it?” However, they appear to be aware of the damage acid can cause. “Be careful, it is a strong acid,” warned a shop owner in JJ Church Road. “It can burn your skin if it spills on to your hadeven touches your hand,” he said. The accused in two acid attacks apparently bought the chemical from different vendors in the city.

Customers’ speak

Attiguppe resident 50-year-old Savithri said she has been procuring acid to clean floors. She then pulled out two plastic water bottles, one almost empty with a clear liquid while the other was filled with a red liquid. She said the red one was stronger than the clear liquid. “I bought one litre of acid from a paint and thinner store in Gangondanahalli for just Rs 30. The procurement process is hassle-free,” she said. When asked how strong the acid was, she poured a few drops on the cement floor, which bubbled away leaving a clear white patch.

Savithri’s nephew, Vinay, said he procured one litre of acid from Shivajinagar. “It is available in most hardware stores and is available in plastic bottles. As long as you are willing to pay them money, they do not mind,” he said.

Anand, who runs the Nagappa Dyes and Chemicals on OTC road, said he stopped selling any form of acid due to the rise in acid attacks. “The recent attacker has used a toilet cleaner diluted with acid. There needs to be a licence for one to sell acid. Due to the many loopholes in the system and the hunger for extra money, incidents like these occur,” Anand said and called for strict action from the government